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Saturday, August 20, 2011

Is My Perspective on Deerfield Beach Negative or a Reflection on Reality (repost)

I wrote this back on June 9, 2011 when a few people advised me that I was to negative. I am re-posting it because I believe it answers a few questions, so people can either stop asking me "Why Am I So Negative" and realize that the we are not living in Cyberland, this is the real world and District 2's real world is a combination of the positive and the negative, but recently in the city of Deerfield Beach it has become filled with instance after instance and incident after that are negative and that is what I write about because no other supposed news source will even touch it. SO I highlight the injustices, misinformation, and propaganda that is spread around like horse manure on Southern Plantation back in the 1800's If no one highlighted this information people would not know it and would not be able to see all sides of the equation and then formulate opinions. That is my goal to give all the information, which is why I don't only write my opinion but I also include the links so readers can go and review the same information that I did and form their own opinions. Anyone who has a problem with must have a guilty conscience and is projecting. That's how I see that! So to all of those individuals out there in my District and beyond that have decided I am negative. I say this directly to you,

"You know I am not negative that the words reflect the situation, which more likely than not you are a contributing factor to why the situation seems so bleak in this District. Our people need to be educated and other people need to see an honest representation of how many in this District feel and see things, not the obscured or ELITIST version that you'd portray just to get the little thirty pieces of silver from the City or because you think that you have Jefferson'd and moved on up. At the end of the day you are still my bruthas and sistahs and like family we can disagree and call each other names, but we still need to communicate if our heart is truly into improving the quality of life in District 2. Anything else is counter-productive and tantamount to the same self-destruction that has plagued the black community since before the European ships circled the Ivory Coast (Cote d' Ivoire, I just love the way that sounds.)

So, to those individuals (and you know who you are, so don't trip) and you feel I have an divisive or negative disposition. Please take the time to call me and get to know me. You have my number because let's keep it real and honest with each other and ourselves. We both know that I reached out to you first, before this whole blog thing came about. My passions and loyalties lie with my community in District 2 and Deerfield Beach. I have no political alliances (despite what many think) and no City or Non-Profit allegiances. My only allies are those individuals who have realized this fight and this victory is not and will not be about the individuals in the struggle, but about the community and City as a whole and all the glory that comes with it goes to GOD, not one man or woman. So get over yourselves and let's work together for the common good, which is what I have been saying since April!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Is My Perspective on Deerfield Beach Negative or a Reflection on Reality

Someone, whose opinion I have always valued. Told me today that I am to negative and that I should just work on getting the information out to the people.

So, I thought about this, contemplated and prayed on the situation. And I realized that I am not being negative it is just that the situation itself is negative. How do I put a positive spin on the situation that is going on here in Deerfield.

If I lived in a different district and did not know the struggles that the people in District 2 live through day after day, then I could possibly put a positive spin on these events. It would probably sound something like this.

Deerfield Beach is voting on a utility tax that will provide great amenities and places for my kids to play. These new additions will draw young families to our city which help diversify and strengthen our economic structure and tax base. This will lead to better infrastructure and lower taxes for all eventually.

That sounds great doesn't it. Many would say that is exactly what the Commissioners have in mind. However, let me tell the truth of the matter.

Deerfield Beach is voting on a utility tax, while over 8,000 of it's residents are not represented on the City Commission. District 2, a minority community with many low-income and fixed income individuals, received about 5% or less of the last budget for Parks and the City still has not provided the amenities in District 2 that they promised back in 1993, but the City is moving forward with taxing all of its residents anyway so they can implement capital projects that will make improvements on the existing parks and create new ones. The residents of District 2 are expected to help foot the bill for the improvement of the sections of the City from a vote and while decisions were made on where the funds would be spent while they weren't represented. This is great for the economy though because their sacrifice will lead to a better infrastructure and stronger tax base because young families will move into the City.

Is that positive enough for you?

Again, I will reiterate that this situation is bad and its obvious that everyone knows it and that is why the newspapers have refused to print about it. They are uncomfortable with the model that is being presented. Well that model is our reality and my writing only reflects my frustration with this City and the process that we have accepted.

If you think my writing is negative then try and live one year in our community under the conditions we live in and then write about your experience. I would bet you that even Mary Poppins would begin to sound just like I do.

Some of you are saying why is it that not all of our community is speaking out. Well, the answer to that is simple and if you take the time to ask one of them they will tell you. They feel that "dem crackers gon do what they wanna do anyway" (please note this is an expression and not necessarily representative of thsi blog). Now, this is destructive two-fold because this mentality prevents people from even trying to make a change because they feel like they would be wasting their time and it makes us look like an apathetic and lazy community. Which is unfortunate. The his District 2 may not realize that when we stick together we get a lot accomplished as during the Civil rights movement and the initial Mango Festival. The funny thing many of the people that hold that mentality grew up during those eras and I believe that because Deerfield really did not go through a real movement and the residents really did not have to be active we just rode on the backs of what Martin and others did in towns like Selma and Montgomery. So, we have no real reference of succeeding against the establishment except from made for TV movies.

The reality is all of the residents in District 2 and Deerfield Beach pay their fair share. Even the renters! Unless you can show me any property owner who does not factor in the property tax payable on the rental property in the cost of the rent, then you can say the renter does not pay their fair share. Even once the property tax goes down does the property owner lower the rent, proportionately. I think not! So, your contention that anyone in this City does not pay their fair share is destructive, wrong, and down right deplorable.

Let`s look at what Ganz said on the DIAS on June 7, 2011 District 1 pays about $8 million toward the AV tax. Question is does that figure include businesses and residence especially since all of Deerfield Beach`s major businesses are in District 1, then District 4 pays $6 million again they have major businesses. I will leave it at that. Can I see the numbers excluding the businesses...lets look at the residents share...and then lets see which Districts are paying what, once the business portion of the AV tax is separated and calculated.

Then talk to us about who's not paying what.

If me pointing out the truth of the circumstance, situation, and life in Deerfield Beach is to negative for you, then you can take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and you believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in wonderland. And, I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.

I think Ganz, Noland, and Popelsky have had a few to many of those blue pills.